“Almost done”: Congress leader Akhilesh Singh on seat-sharing talks ahead of Bihar Polls

As the 2025 Bihar elections draw near, Congress leader Akhilesh Prasad Singh has announced that the seat-sharing negotiations are entering their final stage, reports 24brussels.

Singh confirmed that an official announcement regarding the seat allocation is imminent. “The seat allocation is almost done, but at the last moment, some difficulties arise in all parties; these are there in the NDA as well and here too. Everything will be announced in 1-2 days,” he stated.

On the same day, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) MP Shambhavi Chaudhary revealed that her party had convened a central parliamentary board meeting, chaired by party chief Chirag Paswan. She emphasized that discussions on seat-sharing are still ongoing, and the final decisions will be made by the party’s National President. “Today, there was a meeting of our central parliamentary board. This meeting was chaired by the national president, Chirag Paswan. All MPs and office-bearers of the party were present in it. A very positive and good discussion took place,” Chaudhary said.

Chirag Paswan, meanwhile, has remained tight-lipped about the details of the seat-sharing agreement, stating, “I have nothing to say now. All seat-sharing-related announcements will be made later,” as he was en route to further discussions.

This electoral battle is set to pit the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), against the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) and the INDIA bloc, which is spearheaded by Tejashwi Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). The INDIA bloc incorporates several parties, including Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML), the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani’s Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP). Additionally, Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj has claimed ambitions for all 243 seats in the state.

Political parties in Bihar are intensifying their preparations for the upcoming assembly polls, conducting a series of meetings in Delhi and Patna to finalize seat distribution. The Election Commission has slated the Bihar Assembly elections for two phases on November 6 and November 11, with vote counting scheduled for November 14.

“New opportunities for growth”: Swiss envoy hails India-EFTA trade pact as milestone after 16 years of negotiations

Swiss Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Maya Tissafi, has described the newly signed free trade agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries as a “very important step” after 16 years of negotiations, marking a new chapter in bilateral cooperation, reports 24brussels.

Speaking at the Swiss Art Night event in New Delhi, Ambassador Tissafi emphasized the significance of the agreement, stating, “We have started the free trade agreement. I believe this was a crucial step, following 16 years of negotiations, to establish a free trade agreement between the EFTA countries, comprising Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, and Switzerland, and India. We are really reinforcing our relationship in different topics, not only in culture, but in economy, innovation and education as well.”

The Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) was signed on March 10, 2024, and took effect on October 1, 2025. This landmark agreement represents a significant milestone in India-Switzerland economic relations, with EFTA countries committing to invest USD 100 billion and create one million jobs over the next 15 years.

Ambassador Tissafi noted, “We celebrated the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement coming into force, a milestone that deepens our economic ties and opens new opportunities for growth on both sides.” Additionally, the TEPA constitutes the first binding pledge of its kind in any Indian Free Trade Agreement, underscoring its ambitious nature.

To enhance people-to-people connections, the envoy highlighted ongoing collaborations in vocational training and skill development, inspired by the Swiss blended learning model. She pointed to the Bhartiya University of Skills Development in Jaipur, supported by Swiss-Indian businessmen, as a positive step in this direction.

Furthermore, Tissafi confirmed that in 2025, India and Switzerland plan to expand research and innovation cooperation, launching joint funding initiatives in health, climate, artificial intelligence, and technology transfer under the Indian-Swiss Innovation Platform.

This year’s Swiss Art Night, themed “In the Flow,” served to celebrate cultural diplomacy and creative exchange between the two nations, encouraging young individuals to pursue their dreams through creativity and innovation while fostering greater mutual understanding.

Through these initiatives in trade, skill-building, and research, Switzerland and India continue to strengthen their long-standing partnership.